SPL: Hibs 1 Aberdeen 3

JAMIE LANGFIELD watched the SPL shoot-out on the box yesterday and vowed Aberdeen will be in the picture next term.

JAMIE LANGFIELD watched the SPL shoot-out on the box yesterday and vowed Aberdeen will be in the picture next term.The Dons keeper signed a new deal with the club on Saturday then helped them leapfrog Hibs into ninth spot.

The entire occasion was an emotional tribute to Eddie Turnbull, who would have enjoyed the game but not the plight of the two clubs he served with such distinction.

Langfield admits the last two years have been wretched - the Dons also finished ninth last time out - but he insists better times are ahead under Craig Brown and Archie Knox.

He said: "I didn't want to go out on a low but we must stop conceding stupid goals - and I include myself in that.

"We want to be playing on Sunday at this stage next year, not Saturday.

"I watched the last-day games gutted. I'm used to playing against Rangers and Celtic at this stage, with titles and Europe up for grabs."

The game symbolised the end of an era, not just in marking the death of Turnbull, but in terms of players leaving both clubs.

Derek Riordan will now walk away from Hibs as will Sone Aluko at Aberdeen while two-goal Chris Maguire remains undecided about his future with the Dons.

Langfield said: "It's important we bring in flair players and build on the foundation already at the club and hopefully that will include Chris.

"I've told him to stay here and develop further for another year."

Maguire punished Hibs in the second half with two goals that were disasters for defenders David Stephens and Francis Dickoh.

Dickoh was too slow to react after initially blocking a Maguire effort off a Steven Smith cross from the left, allowing the Scotland Under-21 star to leap to his feet and slide a shot into the net.

Two minutes later Stephens hummed and hawed with the ball at his feet 25 yards from goal and Maguire nipped it from his toes before rattling in a right-foot shot.

It was a remarkable turnaround for the Dons, who equalised two minutes into the second half when Josh Magennis rose above Akpo Sodje to power a Maguire corner home.

Hibs had been worth their lead which came after 20 minutes when Riordan crashed a volley over Langfield.